Squisita Super Crema
by suzie2b
Summary: The Rat Patrol makes a sweet find in the desert


**Disclaimer: **_**The Rat Patrol**_** is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

**Author's note: Nutella was invented during WW2, when an Italian pastry maker mixed hazelnuts into chocolate to extend his cocoa supply.**

**Squisita Super Crema is Italian for** **Exquisite Super Cream.**

**Squisita Super Crema**

**By Suzie2b**

**The Rat Patrol had just decimated an Italian supply convoy. There were no survivors. Troy and Moffitt were on watch while Hitch and Tully were in the process of going through each of the trucks.**

**Tully crawled into the back of one truck and tore open a couple of the wooden crates. He stuck his head out and smiled as he called, "Hey, sarge! We hit the jackpot!"**

**Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch hurried over and Troy asked, "What'd you find?"**

**Tully pulled the flap back. "Italian rations."**

"**We have plenty of food, Tully."**

"**But ****al-Gardaqah doesn't."**

**Troy said, "That tiny village we stopped at for water west of here?"**

**Tully nodded. "Yeah. I don't know about you guys, but I noticed a lot of those people, especially kids, are really undernourished."**

**Moffitt said, "I noticed that too. I spoke with their chief and he mentioned that they're having problems getting enough food because that big storm a while back ruined their crops. Until they can regrow the vegetables, there's nothing to sell at market."**

**Hitch said, "Can't they sell their livestock so they can survive?"**

**Tully disappeared back into the truck.**

**Troy sighed. "I did kind of wonder why I didn't see any goats or camels … not even a dog."**

**Hitch frowned. "You mean they ate them?"**

**Tully reappeared with a jar, which he opened as he listened to the others.**

**Moffitt shook his head. "They've already sold every animal in the village. What they got for them only got them enough to eat for a few weeks. It's going to take months to have enough to take to market."**

**Tully sniffed the dark colored paste. It smelled a little like peanut butter and cocoa. He scooped a bit onto his finger and stuck it in his mouth.**

**Troy looked at the crates again. "There isn't enough here to do them much good."**

**Hitch said, "We haven't checked all the trucks yet, sarge."**

"**Okay, Moffitt, help them finish the search while I think about it."**

**Moffitt looked up at the private as he put another taste in his mouth and asked, "What have you found, Tully?"**

**He looked at the label and said, "It says 'Nutella'. Tastes kinda like peanut butter and chocolate."**

**Moffitt smiled. "It's actually hazelnut and cocoa. It's quite popular in Europe."**

**Tully grinned. "I can understand why."**

**Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully went from truck to truck. They found blankets, medical supplies, and a second truck with crates of rations. The ammo they found wouldn't work with their American issued weapons.**

**When they had gathered up the things they could use, Troy joined them and said, "All right. Move all the ammo into one of the disabled trucks. We'll blow it up as we leave. We can hide the rest of this stuff while we go into Zuwarah." He looked at Moffitt. "Were you able to restock our med kits?"**

**Tully had taken the jar of Nutella out of his pocket and unscrewed the lid as he questioned, "What's in Zuwarah?"**

**Moffitt smiled. "Zuwarah has a very good market. And yes, the medical kits are now fully stocked."**

**Tully nodded as he took a two finger scoop of the gooey stuff and put it in his mouth as the others stared at him. He licked his fingers clean and looked at them innocently. "What? It's good."**

**Troy shook his head with a smiled and said, "We go there, pick up a truck, whatever food we can get, come back for this stuff, and take it all to ****al-Gardaqah."**

"**Zuwarah is only an hour from here. We should be able to get there and be back to al-Gardaqah before dark."**

"**That's what I thought too."**

**They blew up the ammo and quickly found a place to hide their spoils of war. Then they were off to Zuwarah.**

**##################**

**The town of Zuwarah was good sized … and held by the Italians. However, it wasn't hard for the four Allies to get in over the wall in the Arab quarter. They moved easily through the streets and were ignored by the locals, who wanted nothing to do with the war. They didn't care who entered their town as long as they were left alone. The Italians appeared to be respecting this.**

**When they got to the marketplace, Troy and Hitch went one way while Moffitt and Tully went the other. They used their own money and a few things they'd brought along to trade to purchase what they wanted. Then they went to locate the Italians motor pool.**

**In broad daylight they marched through town to where the Italians had set their base up. On the edge of the Arab quarter they ducked into cover with their many bundles and bushel baskets. They could see the motor pool from their hiding place.**

**Troy said, "All right, Hitch, you and Tully wait here. Moffitt and I will go get a truck."**

**Hitch asked, "How're you going to get across the square? You'll stand out like a sore thumb."**

**Troy took his hat off and handed it to Hitch. Moffitt immediately followed suit as Troy replied, "I don't plan to cross the square. We're going the long way around and hope no will notice us."**

**The sergeants skirted the Arab quarter for a ways, then walked onto base like they belonged there. Troy and Moffitt walked as quickly as they dared without drawing attention to themselves and entered the motor pool. They chose the first truck they came to with keys in it. They calmly got in and found two Italian helmets. After donning them, Troy started the engine. Two of the men working there turned to look at the truck and its occupants as it drove away. They looked at each other, shrugged, and went back to work.**

**Hitch and Tully watched from their hiding place and smiled at one another when they saw Troy and Moffitt drive out of the motor pool with no problem. As soon as the truck stopped, the privates loaded everything into the back, crawled inside, and pulled the flap down over the opening.**

**Troy drove unhurriedly towards the gate and followed two other trucks out before turning to head to the hidden jeeps before going back to the destroyed convoy.**

**As they neared the still smoldering wrecks, Moffitt, who was standing in the back with binoculars and leading the way with Tully at the wheel, called for a halt. Tully pulled around and stopped next to the truck's driver's door. Then Hitch stopped alongside Tully's jeep.**

**Troy stuck his head out of the truck's window. "What did you see?"**

**Moffitt said, "There are several Italian halftracks checking over the wreckage."**

"**Can we get around to where we hid the stuff without being seen?"**

**Moffitt looked around and checked the Italians again with binoculars, then said, "I believe so."**

**Troy gave a nod. "Then lead on."**

**Moffitt pointed and told Tully, "That way." He kept them out of sight of the Italians as they worked their way around to the place where they'd hidden their booty.**

**Hitch and Tully quickly recovered the food and oter things while Troy and Moffitt kept their eyes open for trouble.**

**When they were ready to go again, Troy said, "Tully, drive the truck. Moffitt, you've got the jeep. Let's shake it."**

**##################**

**Several hours' later one Italian truck and two American jeeps rolled into the village of ****al-Gardaqah. The villagers watched the vehicles curiously as they stopped.**

**Moffitt asked one of the people to go get their chief, then he said to his friends, "We'd better wait to unload until Chief Ahmadullah Shah accepts our gift."**

**So the Allies waited as the people began to mill around the truck and jeeps. They were a curious people, not threatening. A little girl of maybe six years of age pulled on Tully's hand. When he looked down at her, she said, "**أنا جائع**."**

**Tully looked at Moffitt for a translation. "She says she's hungry." Moffitt told her in Arabic that they were there to hopefully help her and her people.**

**The girl put her small arms around Tully's neck and gave him a hug, which he didn't hesitate to return.**

**A few minutes later Chief Ahmadullah Shah hurried through the crowd to meet with the Allies. He recognized the Allies and asked in Arabic if they needed something.**

**Moffitt explained that they had returned with gifts for the village.**

**When the chief smiled, Troy looked at Hitch and Tully. "Go open the back."**

**Tully put the little girl down and followed Hitch to the back of the truck. They put the tailgate down as Moffitt led Chief Ahmadullah Shah around with Troy following.**

**The rest of the villagers quickly gathered 'round when the chief gasped at the sight. Moffitt explained that the crates held canned goods among other things along with the vegetables and local fruits. Plus there was camel and goat meat.**

**Chief Ahmadullah Shah began to weep, saying he was so grateful and hugged each of the men.**

**Troy said, "Moffitt, get these people lined up. Hitch, Tully, and I will start passing things out."**

**The villagers were very excited, but each managed to wait their turn as the food and other things were distributed. At the end of the line stood the little girl who had given Tully a hug. As Troy and Hitch handed the girl's parents their share of food and blankets, Tully grabbed a jar and hopped out of the truck. He removed the lid as he knelt down in front of the girl. She looked at the jar curiously. Tully smiled, dipped the tip of one finger into the jar and slowly put it in his mouth. He grinned and said, "Mmmm!"**

**The girl broke into a smile and dipped a small finger into the jar. She put it in her mouth and her face lit up. Tully replaced the lid and gave her the jar. She took it and threw herself into Tully's arms before leaving with her parents.**

**Tully stood up as Hitch said, "I'm surprised you gave up your jar of Nutella."**

**Tully produced his jar from a pocket and opened it as he said with a smile, "This is my jar. I gave her a new one." He then took a big scoop and put it in his mouth.**

**Troy chuckled. "Well, they should have enough to feed themselves for a couple of months."**

**Moffitt said, "I've explained that they should be careful just to be sure they'll get through until their crops come in." He watched Tully take another scoop. "You're going to make yourself sick."**

**##################**

**When they left the village, Tully was again driving the appropriated Italian truck. They went about twenty-five miles before Troy had them stop. He said, "We'll leave it here in the open. Someone will find it."**

**Tully slid out of the truck and sat down on the running board. Hitch looked at him and asked, "You okay, Tully? You look a little green."**

**His friend and fellow private sighed. "I'll be okay. Just an upset stomach." Moffitt opened his mouth to admonish him and Tully said, "Don't say it, sarge. Just leave it alone."**

**Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch laughed. Then Moffitt pulled Tully to his feet and said, "All right, my friend. I'll drive while you rest."**

**Tully groaned as he stood up and followed Moffitt to the jeep.**


End file.
